American Pie; Buddy Holly's death â€“ Don McLean wrote it and released it as the title track ofÂ his 1971 album, American Pie. The song reached #1 on the U.S. charts and it stayed there for four weeks in 1972. According to Wikipedia:

... [McLean] stated in an editorial published in 2009, on the 50th anniversary of the crash that killed Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, that writing the first verse of the song exorcised his long-running grief over Holly's death...

McLean dedicated American Pie (the album) to Buddy Holly.

For those of you who don't know, one of the many topical references in "American Pie" is a poetic description of the killing of Meredith Hunter by Hells Angels at the Altamont Free Concert in December of 1969 (just months after Woodstock). Notice the reference to The Rolling Stones' 1968 song, "Jumpin' Jack Flash." The Stones headlined Altamont, and they hired the Hells Angels to handle security.

So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quickJack Flash sat on a candlestick'Cause fire is the devil's only friend

Oh and as I watched him on the stageMy hands were clenched in fists of rageNo angel born in HellCould break that Satan's spell

And as the flames climbed high into the nightTo light the sacrificial riteI saw Satan laughing with delightThe day the music died

Incorrect

American Pie; Buddy Holly's death â€“ Don McLean wrote it and released it as the title track ofÂ his 1971 album, American Pie. The song reached #1 on the U.S. charts and it stayed there for four weeks in 1972. According to Wikipedia:

... [McLean] stated in an editorial published in 2009, on the 50th anniversary of the crash that killed Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J. P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson, that writing the first verse of the song exorcised his long-running grief over Holly's death...

McLean dedicated American Pie (the album) to Buddy Holly.

For those of you who don't know, one of the many topical references in "American Pie" is a poetic description of the killing of Meredith Hunter by Hells Angels at the Altamont Free Concert in December of 1969 (just months after Woodstock). Notice the reference to The Rolling Stones' 1968 song, "Jumpin' Jack Flash." The Stones headlined Altamont, and they hired the Hells Angels to handle security.

So come on Jack be nimble, Jack be quickJack Flash sat on a candlestick'Cause fire is the devil's only friend

Oh and as I watched him on the stageMy hands were clenched in fists of rageNo angel born in HellCould break that Satan's spell

And as the flames climbed high into the nightTo light the sacrificial riteI saw Satan laughing with delightThe day the music died

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Peter Wendel is a journalist and PR consultant. He's attended hundreds of concerts and festivals, including the Peach, Mountain Jam, the All Good and Lockn'. He's ridden legendary Grateful Dead runs from Ventura County Fairgrounds to Irvine Meadows (CA) from the Nassau Coliseum (NY) to the Boston Garden (MA). Peter is a former U.S. Marine who â€“ after running into trouble with every last one of his commanding officers â€“ received an honorable discharge and a direct order never to return. Born in California and raised in New Jersey, Peter lived in Boston and Joshua Tree (CA) before settling in the nation's capital. Find him on tour at PWendel@SongMango.com.